Use of pigment or dye dispersions to dye textile materials is well known. Typically the goal in such dyeing operations is to effect a uniform appearance across the surface of the material being dyed. Such uniform dyeing is addressed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,697 to Morrill et al., entitled "Dye Composition And Method Of Dyeing", the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. In particular, the '697 patent to Morrill et al., discloses a dye composition comprising a water-insoluble pigment, a cationic flocculating agent and a dispersant with the possible addition of a binder resin to enhance crock-fastness.
In applications where uniform coloring has not been the desired outcome, the goal has typically been the impartation of a definite pattern to the textile material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,214 to McBride et al. (incorporated by reference) discloses a dyeing process wherein a textile material is printed in a manner such that an anionic component and a cationic component come into contact with one another when the dye solution is applied to the textile material. The ionic interaction which occurs during such contact forms a water-insoluble, dye impermeable skin around individual droplets to effectively control the undesired migration of the dye. This lack of dye migration permits greater precision in the ultimate pattern imparted to the textile material.
As disclosed in the '214 patent to McBride et al., the interaction of the cationic component with the anionic component may be accomplished by applying one of the components to the textile materials prior to application of the dye solution in the desired pattern and then applying the corresponding counter-ionic material as a component of the dye solution. Thus, according to the '214 patent, if the cationic component is first applied to the textile material as a component of an aqueous solution, the anionic component may be applied as a component of the dye solution. In like manner, if the anionic component is first applied to the textile material as a component of the aqueous solution, the cationic component may be applied as a component of the dye solution.
It can thus be seen that the prior art has recognized specific processes and practices to achieve uniform dyeing of textile materials as well as materials and processes for enhancing the pattern dyeing of textile materials through the ionic interaction of separately applied components. The present invention relates to a process for generating a mottled or hammered look on a textile material through the ionic interaction of a dye and a subsequently applied counter-ionic flocculation solution to generate a substantially random pattern across the surface of the textile material and thus represents a useful improvement over the present art.